Climax-basket machine.



E. CRAIG.

CLIM/xx BASKET MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. II, 1909. 1,192,041.

Patented July 25, 1916.

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` E. CRAIG.

CLlNIAX BASKET MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. s, Isoa.

l 1792,04 1 Patented July 25, 1916.

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CLIMAX BASKET MACHINE.

APPLlcAnoN HLED ocT. 8. 1909.

Q Patented July 25, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CRAIG, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO SARANAC MACHINE CO.,0F ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CLIMAX-BASKET MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD CRAIG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of St. Joseph, Berrien county, Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Climax-Basket Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates an improvement in machinery for makingbaskets, and more particularly machines for making baskets of the kindcommonly known as Climax baskets, which are oblong in form and used veryextensively for shipping peaches and grapes and other kinds of fruit.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide an improvedmachine which will render more satisfactory in various ways themanufacture of baskets of this kind.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiencyof a machine of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a side elevation of a basket orstapling machine embodying the principles of my invention, showing thebasket form in section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3-3 in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is adetail section on line "4 in Fig. l. Fig 5 is an enlarged andfragmentary side elevation of the stapling mechanism, showing .thebottom clamp and the staple driver take-up lever. Fig. 6 is an endelevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detailhorizontal section on line 7 7 in Fig. 5. Fig.- 8 a detail fragmentaryview yof the pivoted connection of the bottom clamp.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a body A upon which aremounted the various operative parts. A shaft B is supported in bearingson said body. This shaft has ,a crank C that operates a pitman D. Saidpitman operates a vertically recip rocating rod E. At its upper end thisrod carries the upper stapling or driving head F. This stapling head,which is in the form of a casting, operates the usual staple drivers fand the staple formers f. The said staple formers and drivers slide upand down in guides or housings provided on the lower or cross head Cr,which latter is also a casting. This lower head G is secured to theupper end of a bar g that slides up and down in a groove g in the body.In this way the lower head G slides on the rod E. The lower end of therod E has a horizontal portion c that connects with the pitman D, andwhich acts as a shoulder to engage the lower endv of the bar g, when thetwo heads rise. In this way the upper head F travels upward a distancewithout moving the head G, and then when the portion e strikes the lowerend of the bar g the head G moves upward the desired distance. Thisgives clearance below the head G and facilitates the manipulation of thematerials from which the baskets are made.

The Staplers may be of any suitable form or character. The drivers areyieldingly actuated by reason of their engagement with the levers Hpivoted on the head F. These levers each have a cam portion or heel Itthat bears upon the upper end of the driver f. The outerv end of eachlever is yieldingly held against rising by the spring it. These springsare strong enough to enable the driver to properly insert the staples.If the stock varies in thickness, the springs 71. en lable the driversto insert the staples properly and without damagingthe stock. If thelower ends of the drivers f strike the stock before the head F stops.moving downward, then ythe springs L yield and allow the drivers toremain stationary while the head completes its downward stroke. Theseelements H are, therefore, called driver-takeup levers. Rods f2 aresecured to the staple formers f and are provided with springs f3 bywhich said formers are held down on the work after being unlocked fromthe devices in the usual and well known manner.

The form I is mounted on the front of the machine and disposed below theStaplers. This form may have any desired shape. As shown, it is of thekind necessary for makingwhat are commonly known as Climax baskets. bythe operator. The stud or aXle J is inclined slightly upward at itsouter end, so as to bring the upper surface of the form into ahorizontal position. This stud J has a rotatable sleeve j that works inthe slot z' of the form. Thus they form I can be shifted In this way itis easily manipulated gages the hub ja of the form to keep the same mentwith the basket.

level while traveling endwise. When the end of the slot z' is reached bythe stud, the guide jg permits the form tol be turned over and thenshifted end-wise in the opposite d1- rection. IVhile the basket is beingstapled,

it is held on the form by a clamp K pivoted on the head G. This clamp'has a camshaped upper end la that is engaged by an adjustable cam L" onythe head F. hen the said head moves down, it actuates the clamp Kvandcauses the lower end 762 thereof to engage the bottom of the basket. Aspring 7c3 also serves to hold the said clamp in engage- The clamp has anotch M that engages the pivot and is yieldingly held thereon by theflat spring 71:6. This spring le is secured' at its upper end to theclan'ip K, and the free lower end thereof covers the notch 7a4 andengages the pivot 765. In this way the spring le will yield if the stockis too thick, and thus breakage',l is avoided. Vith uniform stock,however, the clamp will work without this flat spring. The cam 7c can berotated or adjusted to vary the stroke of the clamp. Thus the mechanismis adjustable for different kinds of thicknesses of stock. The springcontrolledl member K engages the clamp K to hold the same in engagementwith the cam 7s. This member slides endwise and horizontally in the headGr.

The guides L serve to direct the strips or hoops onto the basket as theform moves sidewise or turns around. These guides are 'on an arm Z thatis secured to the body of the machine. y

The wire feeding devices M for the Staplers may be of any suitable form.They are mounted on the lower head G', and travel up and down with thelatter. Eachfeed device has a ratchet wheel fm. engagedl by the pawl mcarried by the head F, whereby the feed devices M are actuated to feedthe wire when the heads move downward. Thus two staples arey driven eachtime the head moves down. One staple is inserted in the rim of thebasket and the other in the bottom.

Thus it will be seen that I provide an improved and highly eflicientmachine for making baskets or other articles. I claim the differentfeatures both broadly and specifically, as well Vas the variouscombinations, and do not limit myself to any particular use for themachine, or tothe eXact construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a staple driving mechanism, a re- The sleeve j' can Vrotate onthe' ing said head, a reciprocating cross-head yactuated by the meansfor operating the driving head, wire feeding mechanism carried by thecross-head, actuating means for the wire feeding mechanism operated bythe driving head, and staple forming and driving mechanisms working inguides carried by the cross-head and having actuating connections withthe driving head; substantially as described.

' 2. In a staple driving mechanism, a crosshead having wire feedingmechanism connected theretoa reciprocating staple former slidablymounted on the cross-head, a reciprocating staple driver also slidablymounted on' the cross-head, a reciprocating driving head, connectionsarranged for operating the driving head and having means arranged togive the cross-head a limited Yvertical movement on the down andy upstrokes of the driving head, means connected to the driving head foractuating the wire feeding mechanism, and actuating connections betweenthe staple former and driver and the driving head; substantially asdescribed.

3.Y In staple driving mechanism, a vertically movable cross-head, havingwire feeding mechanism connected thereto, guides or housings securedthereto, staple forming and driving devices mounted in said housings, Vavertically movable driving head, elements' forming a connection betweenthe driving head and the cross-head, means for operating said elementsto actuate both heads upwardly, connections between the wire feedingmechanism and the driving head, and independent actuating connectionsbetween the driving head and the stapleforming and driving devices;substantially as described.

' 4. In staple driving mechanism, a crosshead having a guide or housing,a wire feeding device carried by the cross-head', a staple drivermounted to reciprocate in the housing, a staple former also mounted toreciprocate in said housing, a vertically movable driving head,actuating connections between the driving head and the wire feedingmechanism, independent actuating connections between the driving headand the staple driver and the staple former, and a connection betweenthe driving head andl the crosshead through which both heads may beoperated; substantially as described.

5. In staple driving mechanism, a reciprocatin'g'driving head, means foroperating said head, a reciprocating cross-head' actuated by theoperations of the means for operating the driving head, wire feedingmechanism carried by the cross-head, actuating means for the wirefeeding mechanism operated by the driving head, staple forming anddriving mechanisms working in guides' carried by the cross-head andhaving actuating connections with the driving head, a Work clamp carriedby the cross-head, and means mounted on the driving head for operatingsaid clamp.

G. A stapling machine comprising a driving head and a cross headprovided with staple forming and driving devices, means for operatingthe driving head, a form disposed under the cross-head, provided with alongitudinal slot, a support in said slot, a work clamp pivoted on thecross-head, and means mounted on the driving head for operating saidclamp.

7. A stapling machine comprising a driving head and a cross headprovided With staple forming and drivingdevices, means for operating thedriving head, a form disposed under the cross-head, provided with alongitudinal slot, a support in said slot, a Work clamp pivoted on thecross-head, means mounted on the driving head for operating said clamp,and a spring applied to the pivot of said clamp for producing a yieldingclamping action thereof.

8. A stapling machine comprising a driving head and a cross headprovided with staple forming and driving devices, means for operatingthe driving head, a form disposed under the cross-head, means operatedby the driving head to clamp the bottom of the basket against the form,said form being provided with a longitudinal slot, a support in saidslot, said devices including a staple driver, a cam pivoted on thedriving head, engaging the upper end of said staple driver, and a springfor yieldingly holding said cam in operative position.

9. A stapling machine comprising a driving head and a cross headprovided With staple forming and driving devices, means `for operatingthe driving head, a form disposed under the cross-head, means operatedby the driving head to clamp the bottom of the basket against the form,said form being provided with a longitudinal slot, a support f1.

W. H. RAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

